Head lice are tiny, wingless parasites which make their home on human hair. They lay eggs (or nits) on the hair shaft close to the head, and feed on blood from the scalp. Their entire life cycle is spent on the head, and they don’t survive for long without a host. Head lice most often spread via direct head-to-head contact but also less commonly through contact with an item used or worn on the head. Hats, combs, hair brushes, pillows, couches and headrests all have the potential for spreading the lice from one person to another. One place where infestations of lice are common is in elementary schools. This is due to the high numbers of children who come into close contact with one another and share toys and clothing indiscriminately.
For some schools, there are routine lice screenings known as “nit checks.” If the school suspects that a student has lice, they will perform a nit check and, depending on the school’s policy, send that student home before conducting a screening on the other students. During the check, an adult (usually the school nurse) checks behind the ears, on the scalp, around the hairline and at the nape of the neck for evidence of infestation.
Read on for some key warning signs of lice to help you catch an outbreak before your child gets sent home from school.
- Persistent Itching and Irritated Scalp
Head lice can cause profuse itching. This itching is caused by a reaction to the head lice saliva since lice inject saliva into the scalp when they feed on the blood, similar to the way a mosquito feeds. If your child is scratching more than usual, or having difficulty sleeping because they’re itching so much, consider doing a nit check at home in order to properly diagnose what the cause may be.
- Appearance of Nits or Eggs
Nits are the eggs of head lice and are usually the most visible sign of infestation. A louse attaches each egg to the base of a single human hair shaft. Viable nits are usually brown in color and are very well camouflaged in hair. Once they hatch, a white shell remains, which may be easier to spot. The lice themselves are incredibly difficult to see, as they are opaque, and can be quite difficult to spot with the naked eye. Check for nits behind the ears, or at the nape, where high numbers of nits often occur. While a visual inspection may be enough to find nits, a more thorough inspection can be done by wetting the child’s hair and using conditioner before running a fine-toothed comb through his or her hair.
What to do if you Find Lice on Your Child’s Head
There are three methods for treating head lice: topical treatment with a pesticide, wet combing, and oral prescription medication. Resistance to traditional pesticide-based lice treatment products has been building in lice due to years of use, making these treatments less effective. To avoid exposing your child to pesticides, pesticide-free treatments are a safe alternative. Look for a product that has been proven effective through testing. Follow the directions completely and thoroughly comb your child’s hair after application is complete.
A nit comb—a fine-toothed comb used to remove nits from the hair after it has been treated—is included with most over-the-counter lice treatments. This will ensure that any lice or nits that were missed during treatment are removed and will clean hair of all dead lice and eggs, allowing your child to return to school without continued concern.
Following the treatment of a head lice case, a preventative shampoo is advised. If the child is back in a situation where lice may still be living, a medicated shampoo or repellent can serve to prevent re-infestation. Seek a non-toxic, pesticide-free shampoo that can be used daily in place of regular shampoo. This will make lice prevention part of your family’s daily routine and can be used without fear of pesticide exposure. The rest of the family should consider using a preventative shampoo too, following contact with the infested child.
Bed sheets, stuffed animals, hats, clothing and any other items that have been in contact with the child’s head that can be laundered – should be washed in a washing machine and dried on high heat in order to kill any lingering lice. Consider boiling all combs, brushes, and hair accessories that the infested child may have used in hot water to prevent re-infestation.
Catching an outbreak of lice early is vital to helping control the spread of these itchy pests. By checking your child at home for lice as part of a weekly routine, you can prevent your child from being sent home from school and help keep the classroom free of these frustrating pests.